PATNA: Just three days ahead of the first phase of Bihar assembly elections, BJP put up life-size posters with only Narendra Modi’s image across the state, manifestly indicating that the party has decided to seek votes only in his name, observers here felt. The saffron party also released the posters as full-page advertisements in local vernacular dailies.
Curiously, the dropping of Nitish’s photo has also happened three days ahead of Modi’s second leg of electioneering on October 28 — he will address physical rallies at Patna, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur. The posters only have the symbols of NDA’s constituents in Bihar.
BJP’s ‘initiative’ is in contrast to the posters released by JD(U) after the state elections were announced which had images of both partners, Modi and Nitish Kumar. The matter has become so sensitive that neither BJP nor JD(U) partymen are willing to speak on it. “No, it is not easy to say anything on it. What can I say, they (read BJP) have complicated the situation?” a JD(U) functionary said.
On being contacted, a BJP functionary who is also contesting the polls, said, “No, I will not say anything on it. These are party matters.”
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Modi has held three physical rallies with Nitish at Dehri (Sasaram), Gaya and Bhagalpur on October 23. He is slated to address six more, three each on November 1 and November 3. As the programme stands, Nitish will accompany Modi even at the Patna rally on October 28, a JD(U) source said.
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The posters have listed seven developmental points on which the BJP would focus for implementation in the NDA government. The eighth point, suggestive of the message from PM Modi, said, “Those who have worked honestly will continue to do it even in the future.” For slogan, they said, ‘Bhajapa hai to bharosa hai (Where there’s BJP, there’s trust)’.